Blow Up Hollywood is an underground American rock band. Their
eclectic sound, built over a decade of recording, incorporates many
different styles, diverse as progressive rock, post-rock, experimental,
pop, classical, jazz and ambient soundscapes. Founded by Steve Messina
and Nik Chinboukas in 2001, the group has evolved into more of a
collective than a band, as some of their members have changed over the
years. Take Flight was released in 2010.

In 2006 the band released what would become their most popular CD, both
nationally and internationally. With the debate over the war in Iraq
raging, the band released another concept album, The Diaries of Private Henry Hill.
Based on the journal entries of a young, deceased soldier from the Iraq
war, Blow Up Hollywood takes us on Private Henry Hill's surreal journey
as he joins the army out of necessity rather than patriotism.

The band is currently raising money from fans for the release and promotion of its latest creation, blue sky blond. You can help out here.

Also Eden is a British Rock
band, formed in 2005, when vocalist Huw Lloyd-Jones and
keyboardist/vocalist Ian Hodson, who had been working on material
together up to that point, invited Simon Rogers to join them.[1] As of 2012
the band have released three studio albums and an EP, and have toured
the United Kingdom and Europe since the mid-2000s, including four
appearances at Summers End UK, and slots at Night Of The Prog at Loreley
in Germany and The Cambridge Rock Festival (2011).[2] Also Eden's third studio album, Think of the Children!, was released in October 2011 via F2 Records and received an 8/10 review from Geoff Barton in Classic Rock (magazine) The band's sound draws influences from classic progressive rock artists such as Yes, Genesis, Marillion and Rush, as well as inspiration from the “metal, fusion, classical and classic rock genres".[3] The band has also cited contemporary bands such as Porcupine Tree and The Flower Kings as influences. The tracks:

1- Think Of The Children - I

(6:59)

2- Hiding In Plain Sight

(3:53)

3- Oversight

(6:28)

4- Cijfers

(3:22)

5- The Greater Game

(9:28)

6- Stealth

(5:40)

7- Dream Without a Dream

(6:50)

8- 1949

(9:57)

9- Think Of The Children - II

(9:02)

In the Wake of Poseidon is the second studio album by the progressive rock group King Crimson.
By the time this album was released, the band had already undergone
their first change in line-up, however they still maintained much of the
style of their first album, In the Court of the Crimson King. Also like their first album, the mood of this album often changes from serene to chaotic.All songs written by Robert Fripp and Peter Sinfield, unless otherwise indicated.

In
the autumn of 2012, Ian Boddy played two concerts on opposite sides of
the Atlantic Ocean. The first was his fourth solo appearance at the
Gatherings, hosted by Chuck van Zyl, in Philadelphia, USA. Four weeks
later he then played at the Capstone Theatre in Liverpool, UK. There
might have been over 5,000 kilometres separating the two gigs but Boddy
played the same set at each and both his performances were multi-track
recorded.

Back
in his studio Boddy then proceeded to edit the audio down to a single
CD length and to merge the two shows to create a composite concert.
Nothing additional was added, but rather, a careful mix was made of the
best sections from each performance to create a unique album that was
true to the spirit of the original concerts.

In
the field of electronic music, Boddy has played live more times than
most. He is currently clocking in at around 150+ concerts and the
effortless way he manipulates his music in a live setting is a testament
to this experience. The music rises and falls in a series of organic,
analogue soundscapes. Beautiful moments of musical tenderness are
contrasted with large, grandiose orchestrations. The sequencer sections
crackle and sparkle with pent up analogue power, with Boddy weaving a
web of intricate Moog solo lines and mellotron chords.

The
album is released in a strictly limited edition run of 555 copies, in a
beautifully designed digipak, featuring the "pumpkin synth" design by
Chuck van Zyl for the posters of the Philadelphia show. Thus
"Liverdelphia" is a perfect showcase for the unique style of live
electronic music created by this well respected UK musician.

Kraan is a German band based in Ulm
and formed in 1970. It had several minor hits through the 1970s and
1980s. After a break of ten years, the group reunited in 2000. Their
early style can be described as Krautrock that turned later to fusion, combining elements of both rock and jazz.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cyberwar, a video game loosely based on Lawnmower Man, consists of three discs but also includes a CD with the soundtrack featured in the game. The soundtrack includes a number of tracks scored and played by Steve Hillage of Gong and System 7. Copies of the soundtrack are very rare and difficult to come by as the CD itself was never available as a separate release. The game was briefly popular in the 1990s: The player is assigned the role of Dr. Angelo, sent in to Virtual Reality
to defeat Jobe, who, in the film was born simple but increased his
brain capacity by 400% using Virtual Reality. He eventually leaves his
physical body and enters VR permanently. The various gameplay elements
are based on the Virtual Reality segments seen in the original film. For
instance, one of the levels has the player flying through tunnels
avoiding multiple objects, much like one of the games in the film. The game did not have multiple lives, but just one - if the player
missed any part of any challenge, he would be sent to the "cyber-hell"
where he would die. This proved brutal to many who played this game,
but the puzzles were colorful and innovative - at least one required the
player to remember a code from the first disc to be used in a room on
the second disc. If the player entered the wrong code, he would die. This game is now very rare but can sometimes be found on auction sites.

Arbeit macht frei is the debut album of the Jazz fusion band Area. It is notable for featuring Patrick Djivas (which is now known better for his work with Premiata Forneria Marconi)
on bass and Eddie Busnello on saxophone, which parted after the release
of the album. According to the booklet the lyrics were written by
Frankestein (which is an alias for Gianni Sassi), and the music was
written by Patrizio Fariselli. "Luglio, Agosto, Settembre (nero)" became
Area's first hit (even if most of the 7" censored the word "nero",
which was a reference to Black September). It was only released as a juke box only item, and the b-side was the song "Miña" by Italian prog band Aktuala. On the posthumous live release "Concerto Teatro Uomo",
Demetrio Stratos says that "L'abbattimento dello Zeppelin" was composed
after a pub on which they were playing asked them to perform "Whole Lotta Love".
They didn't know the song and played that one instead, and they got
fired. Guitarist Paolo Tofani can be heard quoting the main riff during
his solo. "L'abbattimento dello Zeppelin" was also released as a 7",
backed by the title track of the album, but failed to hit any charts. "Arbeit macht frei" (German pronunciation: [ˈaɐ̯baɪt ˈmaxt ˈfʁaɪ]) is a German phrase meaning "labour makes (you) free".[1] The slogan is known for having been placed over the entrances to a number of Nazi concentration camps during World War II, including most infamously Auschwitz I, where it was made by prisoners with metalwork skills and erected by order of the Nazis in June 1940.

The Sound
for Good record label has partnered with the Farm Sanctuary to help
educate people by offering the new release, "Space Rock: The
Compilation" by Various Artists exclusively to everyone who donates just
$1 USD (or more) to the Farm Sanctuary. This is our special gift to say
thanks for helping to protect farm animals. In this way, artists can
reward people for supporting good causes by offering something special
they cannot get anywhere else.
Over 100 artists from all over the globe have generously donated tracks
to this incredible collection. Take a journey through space with over 14
HOURS worth of psychedelic, tranceinducing music, while helping animals
at the same time!

Released 31 October 2012

Farm Sanctuary has created a safe haven for hundreds of
animals rescued from factory farms. All of the animals at Farm Sanctuary
are named and cared for--each one as a separate individual with his or
her own personality, likes, dislikes and desires. They are free to enjoy
beautiful pastures, fresh air and play for the remainder of their
lives. Visitors can learn about the animals, and meet them in person. It
is an experience to see how friendly, gentile and forgiving these
animals can be, considering what each of them has endured.
Farm Sanctuary is also an important educational center where people can
learn about the billions of animals used for food every year. The
conditions in which these animals are expected to live, and become
nothing more than products, are shocking and appalling. Farm Sanctuary
is working hard to have laws changed that would protect the rights of
each of these animals, and have seen strides in the phasing out of
gestation crates for pigs and battery cages for laying hens. Read more
at www.farmsanctuary.org
The wonderful album cover featuring the artwork of Paul Nicholson was
designed by Tony Gerber. Check out more of Paul's work at www.bluecanvas.com/paulnicholson/
Sound for Good is Record publishes and promotes new and innovative
music as a means to support good causes. This is an independent project
that is supported directly by the artists and is not for profit or
monetary gain in any way. All the artists time and your donation are
focused on support a good cause. Check out this and other music releases
in our online catalog available for instant download at sound4good.bandcamp.com
NOTE: All recordings have been published directly from the files
received. No processing or adjustments have been made to the original
recordings. You may experience differences in track volumes, loudness,
and other inconsistencies from track to track that were are part of the
original material.

Carmen was a British-American band active from 1970-1975. Their style was a fusion of rock music and flamenco music and dance. Carmen's stage performances typically featured Amaral and Angela Allen dancing on a specially amplified stage floor, so that their flamenco zapateado
became an integral part of the music. Additional Spanish influences in
their sound included acoustic guitar interludes in flamenco style,
occasional Spanish lyrics, themes of betrayed love reminiscent of Federico Garcia Lorca, and castanets, all supported by a traditional rock rhythm section.

Long Distance Calling is a German Post Rock bandformed in 2006 in Münster.
Their melancholic tracks, usually lasting five or more minutes, are
mostly instrumental, but some of them feature guest vocalists: Peter Dolving from The Haunted (Built Without Hands, album Satelite Bay) John Bush from Armored SaintEx- Anthrax (Middeville, album 'Long Distance Calling) and Jonas Renkse from Katatonia (The Nearing Grave, album Avoid The Light).
Long Distance Calling have released two singles and three full-length
albums, all of which were received very positively by critics: Satellite Bay (2007),[1][2][3] Avoid the Light (2009)[4][5][6] and Long Distance Calling (2011).[7][8][9] In 2008 the band played at the Rock am Ring[10] and Roadburn festivals; the band toured Germany in 2009.[11] In 2010 Long Distance Calling and Finnish Swallow The Sun supported Katatonia during the New Night Over Europe tour.[12] They most recently supported Protest The Hero on their 2012 European tour.

North Atlantic Oscillation are a post-progressive rock and electronica band from Edinburgh, Scotland. They are signed to the Kscope record label and released their debut albumGrappling Hooks
on 22 March 2010. The band currently consists of Sam Healy (lead
vocals, guitars, keyboards), Ben Martin (drums, programming) and Chris
Howard (bass, bass synth, backing vocals).Their music has been compared to contemporary American bands such as Grandaddy and The Flaming Lips, Scottish bands such as The Beta Band, and 70s prog-rock band Pink Floyd.[5] Their music combines elements of electronic beats with alt-rock guitars and "hazy vocals".[2] The band are responsible for the production of every one of the samples used in their recordings.[1]

The Raven That Refused to Sing

Background

After finishing the touring cycle for Porcupine Tree's The Incident in 2010, Wilson would spend the rest of the year, and 2011, recording and releasing his second solo album, Grace for Drowning, and Blackfield's third album Welcome to my DNA. While initially planning on returning to Porcupine Tree in "early 2012",[3]
this soon changed, with Wilson announcing that he would continue to
focus his future on his solo career. This new focus included a second
leg of touring in support of Grace for Drowning, in the first half of 2012, and then returning to the studio with the live band to record a third solo album.[4] aiming for an early 2013 release,[5] with plans for touring in support of the album for "much of the year" – throughout 2013.[6]

Writing and recording

"Luminol" was first performed by Wilson and his band on the second half of his Grace for Drowning
tour. The song takes its inspiration from a busker, who, according to
Wilson, is "there every single day. It doesn’t matter what the weather
is like; he’s always there, playing his acoustic guitar and singing
these songs. Snow, rain, gale force wind – nothing will stop him from
being in his spot. ... He’s the kind of guy who is so set in his routine
that even death wouldn’t stop him." Wilson considers the notion "that
somebody could be a ghost in life, as well as a ghost in death, somebody
who’s completely ignored even in their lifetime – it hardly makes a
difference; and death doesn’t make a difference, either; it doesn’t
break the routine."[7]"Drive Home" is based on a suggestion from illustrator Hajo Mueller.
It is "about a couple driving along in a car at night, very much in
love; the guy is driving, and his partner – his wife or girlfriend or
whoever she is – is in the passenger seat, and the next minute she’s
gone." The ghost of the man's partner eventually returns, "saying, ‘I’m
going to remind you now what happened that night.’ There was a terrible
car accident, and she died, etcetera, etcetera – again, the idea of
trauma leading to a missing part of this guy’s life. He can’t deal with
the reality of what happened, so he blocks it out – like taking a piece
of tape and editing a big chunk out of it."[8]According to Wilson, "The Holy Drinker" concerns "a guy who’s very
pious, very religious, preachy and self-righteous. I’m thinking of TV
evangelist-types – guys who are prepared to tell people that they’re
living their lives wrong and that they’re missing something because they
don’t believe in God or whatever it is." The man, who, despite
criticising other people's lifestyles, is himself an alcoholic,
unwittingly challenges the Devil to a drinking competition, with
disastrous consequences: "Of course, you can’t beat the Devil at a
drinking competition – you can’t beat the Devil at anything – and so he
loses. ... He gets dragged to Hell."[9]"The Pin Drop" addresses "the concept that you can be with someone
because it’s comfortable and convenient, not because there’s any love or
empathy." Wilson explains that "The song is basically sung by the wife.
She’s dead, she’s been thrown in the river by the husband, and she’s
floating down in the river while singing this song – from beyond death,
beyond the grave, as it were." The song considers "The idea... that
sometimes in a relationship there can be so much tension, so much
unspoken resentment and hatred, that the tiniest thing can set off a
violent episode, and in this case, one that ends in tragedy. The sound
of a pin dropping on a floor can be the thing that instigates the fury."[10]The fifth track on the album explores "the story of the watchmaker,
the guy who is meticulous about his craft, but he never has any kind of
emotional outburst, nor does he express violence or any extreme emotions
whatsoever." It concerns "a couple who have been together for 50 years
or more, purely because it was convenient and comfortable." Wilson
explains that "The watchmaker ends up killing his wife and burying her
under the floorboards of his workshop. But, of course, she comes back,
because she’s been with him for 50 years; she’s not going to leave him
now." The song concludes when "the wife comes back to take him with her,
which", Wilson suggests, "is another classic ghost story, in a way."[11]The title track explores the story of "an old man at the end of his
life who is waiting to die. He thinks back to a time in his childhood
when he was incredibly close to his older sister. She was everything to
him, and he was everything to her. Unfortunately, she died when they
were both very young." The man becomes convinced that a raven, who
visits the man's garden, is something of "a symbol or a manifestation of
his sister. The thing is, his sister would sing to him whenever he was
afraid or insecure, and it was a calming influence on him. In his
ignorance, he decides that if he can get the raven to sing to him, it
will be the final proof that this is, in fact, his sister who has come
back to take him with her to the next life."[12]

Release

A music video for "The Raven That Refused to Sing" was released on 8 February 2013. The video, based on Hajo Mueller's artwork,[13] was directed by Jess Cope and Simon Cartwright, who were also responsible for the video for Storm Corrosion's "Drag Ropes".[14] The album was released on February 25, 2013.

Reception

The album has been generally well-received. The Guardian praised the album for being "stripped-down art rock thud before morphing seamlessly into all manner of wildly evocative soundscapes, melodic crescendos and mellotron-drenched fever dreams ... this album shows Wilson to be one of modern rock's most cunning and soulful protagonists."[17]Allmusic
deemed it "the best of Wilson's three solo projects", stating that the
album is "skillfully written music with expertly arranged compositions
of color, nuance, texture, dynamics, narrative, and artfulness played by
a group of stellar musicians."[16]

I'll be off-island this week and this week's host probably won't be playing progressive music.
See you next week when we feature Steven Wilson's outstanding new solo release: The Raven Who Refused to Sing

The 40th Anniversary Edition featuring a new stereo mix from the master tapes by Mr. Steven Wilson. Larks' Tongues in Aspic is the fifth studio album by the English progressive rock group King Crimson, originally released in 1973.
This album is the debut of King Crimson's third incarnation, featuring
original member and guitarist Robert Fripp and new members John Wetton
(vocals, bass guitar), David Cross (violin, Mellotron), Jamie Muir
(percussion), and Bill Bruford (drums). Bruford had just left Yes before they embarked on their Close to the Edge tour. Bruford felt that he had done all he could with Yes at this point and thought the more jazz-oriented King Crimson would be a more expansive outlet. (Wikipedia)

Peru are a Dutch electronic group, consisting of three core members,
augmented by a fourth in recent releases. Continents, Points
of the Compass, and Forlian are their 3rd, 4th, and 5th
releases respectively, and are very representative of the group's
formative years. They have, to date, released 6 albums, all of which are
available on CD. Continents, released in 1983, consists of five
tracks, two of which exceed 10 minutes in length, seemingly influenced
by Klaus Schulze of the late seventies/early eighties, with melodic
arpeggios over minor chord backing, and then breaking out into the
fuzz-guitar-like leads that Tangerine Dream used in the
mid-to-late-seventies. Their influences are quite apparent, but the
music is enjoyable in its own right. I should also point out that the
first track sounds as if it would be at home on Double Fantasy's "hit,"
Universal Ave., and, in fact, similarities to that release show
up at various points. Points Of The Compass was released in
1986, and showed a progression from Continents, in the use of
more varied song structures and synth timbres. The music is similar in
style to Tangerine Dream of the mid-eighties, circa Le Parc, and
possibly the "Heartbreakers" soundtrack. The pace is much more uptempo,
and melodic, making this probably the most accessible of the Peru
releases. In 1988, Peru released Forlian, which combined the
accessibility of their previous release with a slightly subdued mood,
with a result that is reminis- cent of some of Johannes Schmoelling's
solo works. This will be an enjoyable disc for those who like
Schmoelling, and, to some extent, the early eighties version of
Tangerine Dream. (Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock)